JPS58184124A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a high-quality optical switch with a simple constitution, by sticking a compound to the end face of the electrode of a cell by an electrochemical reaction and using this end face as a reflective face to change the advance direction or the like of light. CONSTITUTION:A cell 23 including two electrodes and an electrolyte is arranged in the branching part from an optical waveguide 21A to optical waveguides 21B and 22. The cell 23 has a transparent electrode 24A forming the reflective face which switches the direction of the incident light from the optical waveguide 21A to the optical waveguide 21B or 22, and a transparent electrode 24B between which and the electrodes 24A the voltage from a power source 26 can be applied. An electrolyte solution including Ag<+> ion is filled in the cell 23. When no current is flowed to the cell 23, the light propagated through the optical waveguide 21A is transmitted from the transparent electrode 24A to the optical waveguide 21B. When a current is flowed, the light is transmitted from the optical waveguide 21A to the optical waveguide 22; and when the current is flowed in reverse, the light is transmitted from the optical waveguide 21A to the optical waveguide 21B. Thus. a high-quality optical switch is obtained with a simple constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a one-party sinch used in an optical communication system.

Conventionally, this optical switch mainly changes the traveling direction of light by mechanically changing the angle of the prism or the position of the optical waveguide using a motor, electromagnet, etc. There was a temple that used electro-optical effects such as LiNbO5 to change the direction of light. However, I
a. In round switches with mechanical drive parts, insertion loss is large due to axial misalignment of the drive part or axial deviation of the optical path.
It also has the rumored drawback that it is difficult to convert into a matrix.

In addition, there is a LINbOs optical switch that uses directional coupling l#, such as the one shown in Figure 1.
Here, // iX LINbOm board, /J, /
,? ' is a waveguide by Ti diffusion, /3. /J' is A
lzes insulating film, /F.

15. l-tei'g ts' is an AI electrode, between electrodes l- and ts.

By applying an electric field between /#' and is', the refractive index of 'LINbOm changes due to the electro-optic effect,
The effective length of the directional coupler changes, so that the traveling direction of light changes between the waveguide 12 and /T.

In this case [klL, K for making a good optical switch
is AM in terms of counterfeiting and processing accuracy, and has advanced technology.
! ! Watered. Moreover, even if they are sufficient, it is difficult to completely change the optical path, crosstalk cannot be maintained at 10'pjK, and crosstalk is as direct as 3θdB.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned points, it is an object of the present invention to provide simple 4! II! We provide a small but high quality optical switch.

In the present invention, a cell having λ electrodes and capable of being placed in a waveguide is provided, the cell is filled with an electrolytic 5/IL solution,
F! By applying the electrode pressure U, the electrochemical reaction of the electrolyte solution causes the VC compound on one end surface of the electrode to be compressed, and the compound causes total reflection of the light propagating within the waveguide. This feature is characterized in that the traveling direction of the light or the amount of light t- is changed by changing the direction of travel of the light or the amount of light t. As described above, in the present invention, a compound is layered on the end face of the electrode of the cell by electrochemical reaction, and the end is used as a thif: reflective surface to change the traveling direction of light and the light weight RTF.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.

Figure 1 a shows an example of the present invention, in which a cell n containing a branching section (a floating electrode and an electrolyte) from an optical waveguide gA to an optical waveguide 2/B and n that intersect is shown. As can be seen from Figure 3 (LA) IY, which shows an enlarged view of the side of this cell 2J from optical 4-way UA, and Figure 3 (CB), which shows a perspective view of the entire cell.

W(
Then, the traveling direction of the incident light from the light guide path 2/A is set to 7t,
A transparent electrode 20A that can form a reflective surface for switching to the waveguide 2/B or i'zp and this electrode 2#A are electrically connected.
The other transparent electrode M to which a predetermined voltage from 26 can be applied
It has B. The cell n is filled with a UtJ electric W4 quality bath solution 1, such as an AgNOx aqueous solution B, containing Ag- ions.

Next, the actual optical switch rI of the above-described configuration will be explained with reference to FIGS. 01 (A) and (B).

(A)) When no current is flowing in the cell n, the light that has propagated into the optical waveguide 'NI2/1i- passes through the cell n and is transmitted from the transparent electrode 3A to the optical waveguide IB. mouth. Figure 2 (B) & 2 This occurs when an electric current is passed through cell B. In this case, VC is electrolyzed by k
A compound is deposited on the electrode 29A inside the cell from the following 16 VC.

A brief explanation: kgNOx = Ag + NO@electrode 2'/ When A is the cathode - Ag 10・→Ag , This reaction causes K silver to precipitate at the electrode 21A, and from the silver mirror surface IK created in this way, the light guide The light propagating from the waveguide IA is totally reflected from the silver mirror surface lVc and passes through the optical waveguide 2/
It does not go straight in the direction of B, but changes the direction of the optical waveguide n.

Furthermore, when a current is applied in the opposite direction to this thread, electrode 2/A becomes an anode and the following reaction occurs.

Ag→Ag 10. As a result of this, 1 becomes the pole 20. The Ag that had formed the edge on the end face of A becomes Ag and comes out as a bath, leaving only the transparent electrode 3A again, and the optical path becomes the Kjt waveguide as shown in Figure 1I (A). I
A→2/B.

As explained above, according to the optical switch of the present invention, the optical path can be switched from 2/A to 2/B or 2/A to n, depending on the direction of the four currents from the electric device. .

Below, 'F' shows a specific 'IAh example of the optical switch of the present invention.
[Used for plastin damage. The shape is width jOμm
The shape of the cell n was made to match the shape of the cell n.

As the electrolyte solution B in cell n, an AgN0° water bath 'a of /θ arc was used. The voltage of the voltage is /θV/μ
・N was applied for one reaction time of 100 mm to obtain a 1 μm thick silver ring on the end face of the electrode 29A.

From the above, crosstalk 10 dB, insertion loss db, switching speed i [100 mm optical switch, 10 pupils t, 2.

Condolence S diagram & 1 Inventor Switch Matrix 7 Form Layer LC
Here, si, si, 13 are four-dimensional waveguides, j da, sz, s6 are longitudinal optical guide MAs, and each intersection of these optical waveguides Il!
The above-mentioned original element is placed at point W. For the sake of brevity, in the jth section, only the light input element of vcJm is shown. By changing the polarity of , it is possible to perform ex-swinging with matrinksno] shaped whales.

As shown in Figure 6, the optical waveguides 61 and 6-
It is also possible to arrange the cell n so that the electrode 241A is approximately perpendicular to the traveling direction.

In this case, VC is [VC1 when voltage is applied from Ryo.
The light i1 entering the cell 2jK from the optical waveguide 61 is almost completely reflected by the reflecting surface formed on the electrode end face 24IA, and is cut off from the single & final optical waveguide 6λ.

Therefore, this example can be used as an on-off swing.

From the above clarification, it is clear that 5&C1 The inventor of the present invention is 1. Axis deviation due to vibration in mechanical type
There are no drawbacks such as increasing the size of the child device.

It has the advantage of being a high-quality optical switch with a relatively simple design.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional optical switch using LjNbOa, FIG. Figure q is an enlarged side view and perspective view of the cell, Figure q (AJ and (8) is an explanatory diagram of the optical swing IIAm, and Figure J is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a matrix optical switch according to the present invention. , FIG. 6 shows an on/off M according to the present invention.
An example of an optical switch is shown in a flit diagram. h, /l...-LiNb0m substrate, 12... waveguide by T1 diffusion. 11- AJ*Os insulation, #.=kl electrode, 15-
At-tlfib. 11A, JB... optical waveguide, 〃... optical waveguide,
23...Cell, 21, 21B...
Transparent electrode, 23-KM bath liquid, S...power supply, S
/~j6... Optical waveguide, 6/, u... Optical waveguide. Applicant for the pin: Japan Kameshinden Ayu Corporation Figure 5 Figure 6 □::・.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A cell having two electrodes that can be arranged in a waveguide is provided, the cell is filled with an electrolyte solution, and the voltage of the electrolyte solution is increased by applying the voltage vC'#lL to the electrode. A compound is formed on one end face of the electrode through a chemical reaction, and the compound causes total reflection of the light propagating within the waveguide, thereby changing the traveling direction of the light or the amount of light. light switch.